Dakota Wesleyan University vs South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Dakota Wesleyan University and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, two distinct institutions of higher learning in South Dakota, offer unique educational experiences tailored to different academic aspirations. Dakota Wesleyan, a private liberal arts university, boasts a welcoming community with a focus on personalized attention and a well-rounded education. In contrast, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, a public research university, emphasizes STEM fields and prepares students for careers in science, engineering, and technology. While both universities offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates vary significantly. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and preferences.
Dakota Wesleyan University logo

Dakota Wesleyan University

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology logo

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Overview

Location Mitchell, South Dakota Rapid City, South Dakota
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 71.0% 70.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.7% 80.5%
Application fees $110
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range 860 - 1100 1155 - 1355
ACT range 19 - 25 24 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 3.0% 26.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0% 84.0%
Total number of applicants 1,047 1,445
Total number of admissions given out 793 1,163
Admitted students who chose to enroll 169 489
Yield rate 21.3% 42.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $43,080
In state: $29,330

Out of state: $33,750
Average net price $21,830 $19,257
Tuition $29,700
In state: $7,820

Out of state: $12,240
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,350

Meal plan: $4,200
Room/dormitory: $4,060

Meal plan: $4,080
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,033
83.0%
Average amount $5,895
Students receiving federal student loan 92.0%
Average amount $5,049
52.0%
Average amount $4,907
Students taking out private loans 26.0%
Average amount $13,323
13.0%
Average amount $12,435

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 770
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
2,083
Men 76.4% Women 23.6%
Graduate students 156
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
333
Men 76.3% Women 23.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 63.0%
International students 1.1% 5.3%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Small
Dormitory capacity 520 1,082
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A South Dakota Colorado Minnesota Nebraska Wyoming

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 11:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.9% 52.3%
Dropout rate 38.3% 35.2%
Transferred out 6.9% 7.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,155
  • Year 2: $57,603
  • Year 3: $64,357
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $55,254
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $42,345
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $39,391
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,046
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,416
  • Year 3: N/A
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,623
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: N/A
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $61,020
  • Year 3: $75,822
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,634
  • Year 2: $67,789
  • Year 3: $71,638
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,408
  • Year 2: $60,523
  • Year 3: $64,746
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,674
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: N/A
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,157
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: N/A
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,319
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: N/A
Geological/Geophysical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,327
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: N/A
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,985
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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